Prep Softball: Freeport comes close, but falls to Hononegah

FREEPORT — The Pretzels hung with NIC-10 leader Hononegah until the final inning, but could come up with only one big hit in a 7-2 softball loss Monday.

By Adam J. Kradle

Journal Standard

By Adam J. Kradle

Posted May. 7, 2013 at 12:01 AM
Updated May 7, 2013 at 6:07 AM

By Adam J. Kradle

Posted May 7, 2013 at 12:01 AM
Updated May 7, 2013 at 6:07 AM

FREEPORT — The Pretzels hung with NIC-10 leader Hononegah until the final inning, but could come up with only one big hit in a 7-2 softball loss Monday.

Sidney Schneder no-hit the heavy-hitting Indians threw three innings, when the score was tied 0-0.

“They typically put some runs on the board, but she held them in check pretty well,” coach Jeff Sands said of Schneider, who gave up seven hits and two walks and struck out five. Only four of the seven runs she gave up were earned.

After Hononegah took a 3-0 lead in the top of the fourth, Freeport nearly tied the game. Sierra Best blasted a two-out, two-run double off the top of the fence, just missing a game-tying homer.

Best finished with two of Freeport’s three hits.

The Pretzels (10-12, 7-3) kept it within 3-2 through five innings. Hononegah added one more in the sixth to go ahead 4-2, then added three insurance runs in the seventh.

“That broke it open,” Sands said. “They had a couple that flared just over the infielders head. They only had one hard-hit ball in the gap all night.”

Jordan Olson had Freeport’s other hit.

The Pretzels now play at Harlem. They are in a three-way fight with Harlem and Boylan for second in the NIC-10.

Freeport beat Boylan 9-8 early in the year and lost to Harlem last week.

“We played Hononegah well up there as well; we just had one bad inning,” Sands said. “They are a good team, so it’s good to stay with them. I imagine they will go ahead and finish out the NIC-10 and win it.

“This is the beginning of a long stretch for us, 12 games in 13 days. It’s Harlem and Boylan and us; we’re all right there together. We’re always out to win the conference, but you want to finish in the top two or three. That’s our goal at this point, to see if we can knock off a couple of the others here and finish second in the conference and go into the playoffs strong.”